The recent findings of the Diabetes Control and Complications Trial (DCCT) carried out by the U.S. National Institute of Health have emphasised the importance of doing everything possible to normalise blood glucose levels in diabetics to avoid or delay micro-vascular damage. Intensified insulin therapy has been shown by the trial to improve glycaemic control but is accompanied by the risk of hypoglycaemia. This limits the degree of glycaemic control which can be safely attempted, so that true normalisation of blood glucose levels cannot be achieved with insulin therapy alone.
Glucagon-like peptide 1(7-36)amide or glucagon-like insulinotropic peptide (GLIP) is a gastrointestinal peptide which potentiates insulin release in response to glycaemia in normal humans.
Glucagon-like insulinotropic peptide has been suggested for use either alone or in conjunction with oral hypoglycaemic agents in Type II or non-insulin dependent diabetes (Gutniak et al., (1992), N.E.J.M. vol. 326, p. 1316; International Patent Application No. WO93/18786). These authors have noted a synergistic effect between the peptide and oral hypoglycaemic agents in Type II diabetics.
The present inventor has found, unexpectedly, that administration of glucagon-like insulinotropic peptide permits improved glycaemic control in subjects with insulin-requiring diabetes.